Generally the finish line is where you end, but for Pat Kelly, it’s where he’s getting started.
Kelly is the co-owner of Paddy’s Touchdown Lounge, a sports bar-restaurant that opened on June 19 in the renovated building formerly home to the “Finish Line” bar at 153 North Meridian St. in Kalispell. The other owner is Bob Lincoln, whose brother owns Del’s Bar in Somers and whose son runs Joe Blogz in Lakeside. The Lincolns once owned Kalispell’s Scoreboard.
Paddy’s Touchdown Lounge, around the corner from the Albertsons grocery store, serves lunch, dinner and cocktails seven days a week. The business is essentially divided into three sections – a casino, bar and family dining area. Attached to the casino is a live poker room with two tables.
“We wanted to create a comfortable atmosphere with great food and lots of TVs, and have a local place with tradition,” Kelly said.
Kelly and Lincoln previously partnered in running the bar and casino at the Outlaw Inn. Lincoln’s wife is still involved at the Outlaw Inn. Kelly also owns the Players Club Casino in Evergreen.
“We had always talked about a sports bar,” Kelly, whose nickname is Paddy, said. “Then this place became available.”
Lincoln used to own the Bulldog Steakhouse in downtown Kalispell. Kelly said Lincoln’s steak expertise is evident in the kitchen and on the menu at Paddy’s. A broiler that heats up to 1,800 degrees ensures that steaks are prepared to perfection, Kelly said.
“It just cooks those steaks at a high temperature and keeps that juice in them,” Kelly said. “We just love how those steaks have turned out.”
Paddy’s is open seven days a week for lunch at 11 a.m. and through dinner until 10 p.m., when the main dining room closes down. However, the kitchen keeps making pizzas until midnight every evening except Sunday.
The lunch menu features sandwiches and burgers for less than $10, along with an assortment of salads and specialty dishes. Among the specialty dishes are the shepherd’s pie, fish and chips and Paddy’s Reuben. The dinner menu features some of the same dishes as lunch, but with a larger selection of steaks, pastas and main dishes.
Call-in orders have been popular for lunch, Kelly said, with customers using the main arteries of Idaho and Meridian streets to easily reach the restaurant. Kelly said employees at northern Kalispell’s medical community and Hutton Ranch Plaza come to Paddy’s for lunch.
The restaurant uses an efficient ordering system to quickly process call-in orders, Kelly said. And, with a high-temperature conveyor cooking system, pizzas are especially quick.
“We can kick a pizza out to you in 10 to 12 minutes with a salad,” he said.
Pittsburgh native David Piwonski was hired on as chef. Kelly said Piwonski most recently cooked at a resort lodge in Wyoming and has owned several of his own restaurants in the past.
“He’s had a great 25-year career,” Kelly said. “We’re very fortunate to have him.”
The bar has 10 beers on draft and 43 available beers in total, counting bottles. By coincidence, there are also 43 wines offered. Kelly also pitched the bar’s “fresh, made-from-scratch” Bloody Marys and Caesars.
“They’re very, very good; just fabulous,” Kelly said. “In fact, a lot of people are asking for it in their draft beer.”
Paddy’s has launched several nightly specials, including Margarita Mondays and Softball Tuesdays in which pitchers of beer are $5. On Fridays through Sundays, prime rib and jumbo prawns are offered. There is also a wide variety of desserts, served in manageable portions for only $2.95.
Since opening on June 19, Kelly said Paddy’s has been consistently busy, with a few regulars already staking claim.
“Business has been very good,” he said. “We couldn’t be happier.”
For more information, call (406) 260-4333.